“[Alaska] closed in on the all time record coldest temperature of -80°F set in 1971, which is not only the Alaska all-time record, but the record for the entire United States. Unfortunately, it seems the battery died in the weather station just at the critical moment.“

“Bitterly cold weather sweeping across Europe claimed [hundreds] more victims Sunday, brought widespread disruption to transport services, and left thousands without power with warnings that low temperatures would continue into next week.”

“The eight coldest days of the last decade have all occurred in the first seven weeks of 2012. Temperatures are currently 0.4 degrees colder for the date than any other year in the past decade. Temperatures have dropped almost a full degree since 2010.“